When does spring start and what can Sacramento expect? Equinox around the corner

The recent chill in temperatures might not show it, but spring is going to bloom soon in California.

With it comes warmer weather, students going on spring break and the sun getting an extra hour to shine. But considering the random shifts in weather and COVID guidelines on travel in the past two years, the landscape of the spring season might look a little different.

Here’s what to expect with spring 2022:

When will spring be officially here?

The first day of spring this year is on Sunday, March 20.

Also known as the spring equinox, the day marks when the sun crosses the line of the equator to the north. Since the Northern Hemisphere will be closer to the sun, those in the region will see more daylight and feel warmer weather.

When does daylight saving time begin?

Daylight saving time starts on Sunday, March 13, this year.

At 2 a.m. on this day, most clocks in the United States and Canada, will be turned forward by one hour.

What’s the weather going to be like?

That’s hard to say. While the National Weather Service predicts seasonal outlooks, it doesn’t give us a day-to-day look that far in the future.

The NWS Prediction Center issued a seasonal outlook for the months of March, April and May. The forecasts feature graphics that indicate the probability of temperatures and precipitation reaching above or below normal. A climate “normal” is generally defined as an average over a recent 30-year period.

According to the graphics, Sacramento and majority of California, overall, has an “equal chance,” in terms of seasonal temperatures this spring.

In other words: There is an equal chance temperatures will be above average, near average or below average. It’s the middle of the road. Nothing out of the ordinary is expected. Or as Katrina Hand, a meteorologist at the NWS Sacramento, described it: This means there will be an “equal chance” of receiving normal temperatures that will not lean above or below probabilities.

The prediction center forecasts that rainfall will be an equal chance in the northern part of California, while the southern regions may experience 33% to 40% below normal precipitation. This means southern California has a “lower probability of reaching normal precipitation,” Hand said.

She added that these graphics and predictions will be updated as we get closer to the spring.

That said, here’s a look at last year:

According to the weather service’s Spring 2021 Climate and Drought Summary, springtime last year was dry and hot in Sacramento. Downtown Sacramento hit a record with its “second hottest May Day” last year, with temperatures reaching 106.

Rain was also scarce, as downtown hit a record dry month in April.

Will there be more travel?

According to a report from the World Travel and Tourism Council and Trip.com, global spending on travel is expected to rise by about 94% in 2022 as more countries ease COVID restrictions and vaccination rates increase.

The WTTC, a global organization that represents travel and tourism, predicts that Easter and summer travel will increase this year.

“Our latest forecast shows the recovery significantly picking up this year as infection rates subside and travelers continue benefiting from the protection offered by the vaccine and boosters,” said the president and CEO of WTTC, Julia Simpson, in another report.

Citing data from ForwardKeys, a travel data company and partner of WTTC, the forum emphasized that bookings to the U.S. during Easter have increased by more than 100%, compared to last year.

This story was originally published February 23, 2022 at 9:04 AM.